Parachute



G. H. MOON.

PARACHUTE. A'PPLlcATIoN FILED 1AN.21.1919.

Patented July 22,1919.

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ina' u a /7/ QQN J1/venten George H. lom/wv` G. H. MOON.

PARACHUTEl APFLECATION FILED 1AN.27.1919.

Patented J uly 22, 1919.

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GEORGE H. MOON, OF DALLAS, IWA.

PARAGHUTE.

To all whoml it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE H. MooN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dallas, in the county of Marion and State of Iowa., have invented new and useful Improvements in Parachutes, of wluch the following is a. specification.

This invention relates to pa-rachutes and is especially adapted for the use of aviators and other occupants of flying machines or aircraft in general, the broad object in view heilig to provide a serviceable and relrable parachute which is normally housed 1n compact form, which is attached to the body of the aviator or other occupant of the machine and which may be instantly released and ex panded so as to catch the air and lill or fully inflate itself immediately upon release from a container shell in which the parachute is normally housed when not in use.

Another object in view is to so house the parachute and particularly the suspension ropes, that each of said ropes isindlvldually protected,'rendering it impossible for sald ropes to become tangled as the body of the parachute is forcibly ejected from its containing shell.

Another object in view is to provide novel means for quickly expanding the bag or body of the parachute immediately after it emerges from the containing shell.

lVith the above and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construc-` tion, combination and arrangement of parts herein fully' described, illustrated and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in elevation of the parachute.

Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section through the same.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the parachute when ejected from its container and fully ex-panded.'

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the bag showing the expansion saddle.

Fig. 5 i-s a cross section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1. v

The parachute, contemplated in this invention comprises an inflatable and self-filling bag 1 composed of any suitaible flexible and preferably air-proof fabric. The bag 1 when not in use is housed within a container shell 2, the latter being open at its upper end Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 22, 1919.

v Application led January 27, 1919. Serial No. 273,386.

to allow the bag l to be ejected therefrom by means hereinafter described.

The bag 1 is connected to the shell 2 by moans ofsuspension ropes 3, the latter' being preferably fastened at their upper lextremities to crank girths '-1 attached to the outside of the 'bag 1 as shown in Fig'. 3. The lower end of the bag is stretched open so that it will readily fill with air.

Arranged in a circular series within the container shell 2 are tubular rope stalls 5, said stalls extending longitudinally of the shell 2 and having their upper ends open to receive .the respective suspension ropes 3 which are adapted to be coiled within said stalls. This prevents any possibility of the suspension ropes becomingentangled with each other as the bag l emerges from the container shell and expands. The lower ends of the ropes 3 are fastened to an anchor ring 6 which is in turn fastened within the shell 2.

An expansion saddle 7 is fastened to the upper portion of the .bag 1 and comprises a plurality of spring arms 8 which radiate from a common center and which are also attached to the bag 1. The arms 8 are connected by flexible staves 9 so as to properly position the spring arms 8 with respect to the bag 1 and hold them at equal distances apart. When the parachute is housed within the shell 2, the spring arms 8 are pressed inwardly toward each other by contact with the inner wall of said shell, but when the parachute emerges from the upper end of the shell, the arms 8 spring outwardly, thereby expanding the bag so that it will catch the air and fill quickly. Arranged within the bag 1 is a central stem, 10 secured at its upper extremity to the top of the bag and preferably to the center of the expansion saddle 7. When the parachute is housed within the shell 2, Ithe stem 10 extends down to a point near the bottom of said shell, where it is engaged by a catch or trigger 11 pivotally mounted at 12 in the bottom of the shell and having an arm 13 to which is attached a manually operable trip rope 14. A coiled compression spring 15 surrounds the lower portion of the stem 10 and is contained in the lower part of the shell 2. Said spring engages a shoulder 16 on the stemt 10 and when said stem is released by the trigger 11, said spring serves to quickly eject the parachute from the shell, after Which it fills or expands in the manner previously referred to.

The improved parachute is portable, is of light Weight, may be carried fastened to the person and will be found reliable in operation and a practical life saving device.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is

l. A parachute embodying an inflatable bag, a container shell in which said bag is adapted to be housed, ropes connecting said bag and shell, individual stalls in said shell, each adapted to house one of said ropes, a stem within said shell attached to the upper part of the bag, and a bag ejecting spring in said shell engaging said stem, said stalls t narines being arranged in a circular series around the path of movementl of the bag ejecting spring.

2. A parachute embodying an inflatable bag', a container shell in which said bag is adapted to be housed, fastening means for securing said shell to a person, ropes connecting said 'bag and shell, individual tubular stalls in said shell, each adapted to house one of said ropes, a central stem Within said shell and attached to the upper part of the bag, and a bag ejecting spring in said shell engaging said stem, said tulbular stalls being arranged in a circular series Iaround the path of movement of the bag ejecting spring.

ln testimony whereof I allix my signature.

GEORGE H. MOON. 

